Bay Area arts: 9 great shows to see this weekend and beyond
There are lots of great shows to see this weekend in the Bay Area. Here’s a partial rundown.
Classical picks: S.F. Girls Chorus & Chanticleer, Jon Nakamatsu
The San Francisco Girls Chorus team up with Chanticleer while two revered pianists present two very different concerts. This week’s classical events span eras and styles.
One show, two choruses: “Neighbor Tones” is the title of this month’s program by the San Francisco Girls Chorus, who will join with the 12-man vocal group Chanticleer in a program of new and recent works, including the premiere of “Years of Light,” a new composition by Chanticleer’s 2022-23 composer in residence, Ayanna Woods. Details: 7:30 March 17 at Herbst Theatre, San Francisco; 7 p.m. March 18 at First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley; 7 p.m. Tuesday at Mission Santa Clara; $21-$63; www.sfgirlschorus.org.
Women’s work with Cahill: Award winning pianist Sarah Cahill continues her epic exploration of music by women composers in her Berkeley program this weekend; included are solo piano works by Louise Farrenc, Margaret Bonds, Maria Szymanowska, and others. Details: 3 p.m. Saturday; St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Berkeley: $42; brownpapertickets.com (search for “Sarah Cahill”).
Nakamatsu plays Grieg: Award-winning pianist Jon Nakamatsu returns to the California Theater this weekend to join Symphony San Jose in the first work he ever played with this orchestra: Grieg’s Piano Concerto. Conducted by Aram Demirjian, the program also includes works by Florence Price and David Amram. Details: 8 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday; California Theatre, San Jose; $55-$115; symphonysanjose.org.
— Georgia Rowe, Correspondent
From Ballybunion, with love
Once upon a time in the quaint Irish coastal town of Ballybunion, a group of residents hatched a plan to erect a statue in honor of a planned visit by U.S. President Bill Clinton. Only, as legend has it, sex and politics got in the way.
Seems the scandal surrounding Clinton and his intern Monica Lewinksy made the trip and the statue a little controversial. Then, apparently, the nature of statue itself was raising some issues.
How it all got resolved is a matter of some speculation, although Ballybunion to this day does indeed sport a statue showing Clinton enjoying a round at the town’s world renowned golf course. And among those doing the speculating is none other than former San Jose Mayor Tom McEnery, whose new comedic play, “A Statue for Ballybunion,” is getting its U.S. premiere at at 3Below Theaters in San Jose. The show, described as a “true Irish comedy,” marks a collaboration between Kilnasheen Productions in Ireland and Guggenheim Entertainment (the folks behind San Jose Playhouse). The show saw a successful run in Ireland and is set to open at 3Below today — St. Patrick’s Day! — for a limited run.
Details: Through March 26; 288 S. Second St., San Jose; $45-$55; sanjoseplayhouse.org.
— Randy McMullen, Staff
Dance Theatre of Harlem returns
The acclaimed troupe Dance Theatre of Harlem’s performances in Walnut Creek last year were all sell-outs. Now the company is back, and once again with a program showcasing works highlighting the dancers’ abilities to adapt to a broad variety of styles, from neo-classical ballet to contemporary dance.
Artistic director Virginia Johnson, in her last season with the company, curated works of four internationally acclaimed choreographers. Stanton Welch’s classical “Orange” is set to music by Antonio Vivaldi; the pas de deux “When Love” by Helen Pickett offers insight into love and mutual attraction, set to Philip Glass’s score “Knee 5” from “Einstein on the Beach”; William Forsythe’s “Blake Works IV” (The Barre Project) is the latest in a series that began in 2016 and is set to British songwriter James Blakes’ music; and Nacho Duato’s dynamic “Coming Together,” set to a driving score by Frederic Rzewski, was inspired Sam Melville, a political prisoner killed in the 1971 Attica prison riots.
Details; 7:30 p.m. today and Friday, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek; $68-$114; lesherartscenter.org.
— Aimee T’sao, Correspondent
Mellencamp has surprises in store
At this stage in his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career, 71-year-old singer-songwriter and heartland troubadour John Mellencamp has pretty much earned the right to do whatever he darn well pleases in concert.
Which raises the question: Just what will he be up to when he takes the stage at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre Friday and Saturday, as part of his massive 76-show Live and in Person tour? Showcase some new music? Roar through the gems of his ridiculously long and rich catalogue? Offer several musical and visual references to classic American movies as part of his tour’s tie-in with Turner Movie Classics?
If you answered “all of the above,” go to the head of the class. Yes, Mellencamp is expected to showcase tracks from his new album “Orpheus Descending,” which was released last month. And he has reportedly been uncorking such classics as “Jack and Diane” to “Paper in Fire” as well, with his six-piece band welcoming back violinist Lisa Germano for the first time in year.
As for the movie clips, we’ll let concertgoers witness that for themselves.
Details: Presented by BroadwaySF, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; Golden Gate Theatre, San Francisco; $61.50-$436.50; www.broadwaysf.com.
— Randy McMullen, Staff
A Pyramid party comes to SF
Fifty years ago, Idris Ackamoor and a few other musically inclined students at Antioch College in Ohio began studying with the pianist and free jazz pioneer Cecil Taylor. Soon after they formed a band and took an epic trip through Europe and Africa, during which time Ackamoor immersed himself in African music and the band, eventually calling itself the Pyramids, cemented its sound, defined basically as avant-garde African jazz. After returning to the U.S. and resettling in San Francisco, Idria Ackamoor and the Pyramids continued gigging and released several albums. But despite the band’s unique sound – honed through steady jamming – and a reputation for incendiary live shows, it was rough going financially for the Pyramids. In 1977, after headlining the UC Berkeley Jazz Festival, the band broke up.
Thirty years later, with interest in the band rekindled, the Pyramids reformed and have been off-and-on ever since, releasing one of its most-acclaimed recordings, “Shaman!” in 2020. To mark its 50th anniversary, Idris Ackamoor and the Pyramids are planning to release a new double-disc vinyl collection, “Afro Futuristic Dreams,” and will perform two free shows this weekend at the Presidio Theatre, 99 Moraga Ave., in San Francisco.
Details: 8 p.m. March 17-18; free but reservations; www.presidiotheatre.org
— Bay Area News Foundation
Full speed ahead for New Ballet
After the shuttering of Ballet San Jose in 2016, the New Ballet company and performance troupe emerged under the leadership of Dala Rawson, who had spent several years with Ballet San Jose and remains committed to the idea of presenting high-quality professional dance in the heart of Silicon Valley. That same year, Rawson premiered her own adaptation of “The Nutcracker,” which New Ballet performs to this day.
But despite its seemingly precarious situation as a ballet company based in a city where another dance company has died, New Ballet is not content to play it safe by simply trudging out the traditional ballet trinkets. Which brings us to this weekend. That’s when New Ballet presents the annual Fast Forward program consisting of entirely new works. Six such premieres are in the offing, including one from Rawson herself, titled “Wildflower,” that will feature live accompaniment. Another work on the bill, Peter Merz’s new piece titled “QDD,” is set to music by Washington, D.C. hardcore band Fugazi, which gets associated with ballet probably about as often as the San Francisco Symphony inspires a mosh pit. But such is the nature with New Ballet and its Fast Forward program, it’s meant to be a risk-taking celebration of choreography. You can catch it this weekend.
Details: 7:30 p.m. march 18; Hammer Theatre Center, San Jose; $10-$35; hammertheatre.com, or newballet.com.
— Bay Area News Foundation
Calling all cartoon fans
Sure, there’s nothing like reveling in the look on Wile E. Coyote’s face when he realizes the Road Runner has tricked him into going over the cliff (again). But a big part of the fun and energy of cartoons is the lively music that accompanies them. Maybe most of us take that aspect for granted, but you can’t say that about the talented musicians in The Queen’s Cartoonists. The six-member Queens, New York-based band is known and beloved around the world for performing madcap shows featuring cartoon scores pulled from more than 100 years of animation history – from classic works to brand new offerings – tightly sequenced to the actual cartoon playing on a large screen behind the musicians. This is not just a goofy novelty show, these are versatile musicians, roaring through jazz, classical, rock and pop numbers with aplomb. Comedy is also a big part of the show, as band members offer plenty of jokes and intriguing information on the history of animation and music. Needless to say, a Queen’s Cartoonists concert is a family-friendly affair, and on Sunday afternoon, the musicians will land at the Bing Concert Hall at Stanford University for a matinee show presented by Stanford Live.
Details: 2:30 p.m. March 19; $15-$65; live.stanford.edu.
— Bay Area News Foundation